drumsticksandpaintbrushes: "You're leaving already?"

We've come a long way, and haven't even left the out skirts of town.

26 days till we leave. March 31. . .

I would rather not be reminded.

Franklin is a laid back, chill, tortoise of a town. Some days that pace is great, others it provokes stress for those that naturally like a stronger, swifter current. While we are frantically packing up our stuff for storage, applying for our international visas, floating from temporary living space to temporary living space... we are waiting on Matts FBI check to come in, waiting to hear back from different sponsors that have stepped up to support us, waiting for gaps of our finances to be filled in, waiting to finally say Matt's CD is finished.
Our faith is being tested.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." romans 12:12

Thursday Matt came home early. I assumed at first that he was using vacation time of some sort; but the look on his face said it all. His voice cracked under his breath, "I got laid off." He wasn't the only one, they just knew he was leaving soon anyway. Why not right? After a long walk and a uncomfortably quiet afternoon he said "I feel at peace though Steph, God is gonna take care of us". He's right. Nothing has changed. Though I have to speak those words to hear them as well as say them. Im not going to say some thing cheesy like "God is on our side"-- But I do believe that to bring light (optimism, perseverance) to something our faith is inevitably going to be challenged. We have many of witnesses; who believe we are just doing a 'good thing'- working in third-world countries. This call, our vision, is to do more than a 'good thing',.... but to point in Gods direction and say "Hey man, couldn't have done this without the God of the universe."

THE NEW BROTHER BEAN where the art show will be in Seneca. March 20-21. If you google "Russ Black Insurance, Seneca, PA" it is in the plaza right across the street.